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Critical Topics and Their Significance for the UPSC CSE Examination on September 24, 2024

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What is California’s new anti-deepfake bill and can it stop manipulated political ads?

For Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

For Mains Examination: GS II & III - Governance, Science & technology

Context:

California’s governor Gavin Newsom promised to take action on deepfake AI-generated content in late July after X owner and billionaire Elon Musk re-posted a deepfake video of U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, in which she refers to herself as a “diversity hire”

Read about:

What is a Deepfake?

Challenges with deepfake

Key takeaways:

• Governor Newsom stated that users are now prohibited from distributing advertisements or election-related communications containing "materially deceptive content," which includes deepfakes.
• Newsom signed three bills in total: AB 2655, which mandates that large online platforms remove or label election-related deepfakes during certain timeframes; AB 2839, which extends the period during which election ads or materials with "deceptive" AI-generated or manipulated content cannot be distributed; and AB 2355, which requires electoral ads featuring AI or altered content to disclose such modifications.
• These bills also empower regulators and law enforcement to address such media through legal channels or have them removed.
• "Protecting the integrity of elections is fundamental to democracy, and it’s vital that AI is not misused to erode public trust through disinformation — particularly in today’s tense political landscape.
• These measures will help counter the harmful use of deepfakes in political ads and other content, part of the state's proactive efforts to ensure transparency and trust in AI," Newsom said in an official statement on September 17

Follow Up Question

• Discuss the challenges posed by deepfakes to electoral integrity and public trust. Suggest measures that can be adopted to combat their misuse in the political sphere. (250 words)

• "The rise of deepfake technology has blurred the lines between fact and fiction." Critically analyze the ethical and legal issues surrounding the use of deepfakes in media and communication. (250 words)